Rudder-System Failure Contributed to AirAsia Crash

JAKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesian crash investigators said an electrical problem and a resulting rudder-system error contributed to the crash of AirAsia Flight 8501 on Dec. 28, and that maintenance records showed the problem had been a recurring one in months before the flight.

Pilots had to fly without autopilot before the plane stalled and crashed, investigators told reporters Tuesday.

All 162 people aboard the jet, an Airbus A320, died when it crashed in waters off the coast of Borneo island en route to Singapore from the Indonesian city of Surabaya.

Investigators from Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee said Tuesday that a cracked solder joint resulted in an electricity interruption that caused rudder failure. Maintenance-data analysis showed that the problem had been a recurring one in months before the crash.

Electrical failure also led the autopilot system to disengage, leaving pilots to fly manually.

Investigators said the flight crew's actions while flying manually led to the stall.

Airbus said it had just received the final accident report and was carefully studying its contents. "Airbus has provided full technical assistance and expertise to the authorities in charge of the investigation," the company added.

Write to Ben Otto at [e-mail]

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December 01, 2015 03:45 ET (08:45 GMT)

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